Vegetables

Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / Leave a comment

Its fall y’all!

My favorite time of year for so many reasons, but I just love fall flavors!  While pumpkin is scrumptious, it is not my favorite but I do love autumnal fruits and veggies, even combining them for unique flavors.

Seriously, who ever thought mixing protein, with a vegetable and multiple fruits would be so delicious and absolutely satisfying.

Take for instance this Turkey stuffed acorn squash.

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With fresh apple, tart cranberries, lean turkey and oh-so-delicious bacon this scrumptious supper was so filling and satisfying.  You almost wouldn’t know it was good for you!

This recipe requires time and multi-tasking to prepare, but it is fairly simple and totally worth it.  Save it for a night when you’ll be in from work early with no where to be, or prepare it for a fabulous weekend dinner with the family.

Turkey-Stuffed-Acorn-Squash-2 | Fiddle Dee Dee

And whatever you do, don’t be afraid of the acorn squash.

So many people are afraid to cook with them because they think it is difficult!

It’s really not!

Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash-2

This delicious recipe requires you to use fresh ingredients, otherwise the flavor just isn’t going to be there.  The dried cranberries I used are no sugar added and are Paleo approved.  I also used nitrate-free bacon because; one, excessive nitrates give me headaches, two, it’s one less unnatural preservative our body doesn’t need, and three, it just tastes better!

Turkey-Stuffed-Acorn-Squash-4 | Fiddle Dee Dee

The presentation of this is so pretty, it would make a great company dinner dish as well.  Serve it up with garlic roasted green beans, and maybe a crisp green salad, utilizing some of the dried cranberries and add a few pecans with a French vinaigrette.

Click Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash for the full printable recipe! Turkey-Stuffed-Acorn-Squash | Fiddle Dee Dee

Carrying on the theme of dinner, apple dumplings would make a fabulous dessert to accompany this meal!

What are some of your favorite fall flavors?

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Healthy Italian

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / 3 Comments

Of all the international flavors out family enjoys, Italian is probably our most favorite.  I love the flavor of fresh herbs in a tomato based sauce (generally with Italian sausage added) mixed with pasta and a sprinkling of cheese.

Mmmmm!

Generally it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared, I love pasta!  But, pasta is not something I eat a lot of these days.  While low in calories, it is very high in carbs, carbs that process as a sugar.  Not something I am wanting in my diet as I am down to my last 30 pounds to lose.

Recently I was scrolling through a favorite read by NASCAR driver wife, Samantha Busch, and found her own healthy Italian recipe.

Suddenly I was craving Italian and had to try it out!  With just a few minor changes we enjoyed a delicious, flavorful Italian dinner ready in under an hour.

Made with spaghetti squash and topped with a rich marinara and fresh summer squash this was an Italian dish that was perfect in all ways!

Healthy Italian

Ingredients:

Large Spaghetti Squash

zucchini

Yellow Squash

Baby Spinach leaves

Fresh Basil (I used purple Basil from my garden)

Garlic cloves, minced

1 Can of no-salt added diced tomatoes with garlic, basil & oregano

2 (8 ounce) cans no-salt added tomato sauce

Vidalia onion 

2 Chicken Breast Cutlets

Italian Seasoning

Olive Oil

Directions:

Cut your spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 about 45 minutes.

While the squash is cooking, Take your cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and add to a saucepan on the stove.  Chop half of the Vidalia onion and add to the tomatoes with a little Italian seasoning.  Simmer on medium about 15 minutes to allow flavors to mesh.

Take an immersion blender and puree the tomato mixture into a smooth sauce.

pureeing the marinara sauce

pureeing the marinara sauce

You’ll need two skillets.  In the first, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add your chicken breast cutlets seasoned with Italian seasoning.  Cook on medium heat about 12 minutes, turning once.

chicken cutlets seasoned with Italian seasoning

chicken cutlets seasoned with Italian seasoning

In the second skillet, Slice your squash & zucchini and add to a non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a clove of minced garlic.  Saute until squash is tender, but crisp.  Add a cup of spinach leaves and cover with a lid about 3 minutes to wilt.  Remove from heat.

Love fresh summer cooking!

Love fresh summer cooking!

Take your spaghetti squash out of the oven and scrap this insides out, making “noodles” for your marinara sauce.  Cover with the sauce and fresh veggies.  Add a little fresh basil to the top and serve with a protein of your choice.

Italian done healthy

Italian done healthy

There is so much flavor in this simple dish you never even miss the pasta!

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I hope you’ll try this flavorful alternate to traditional Italian style spaghetti.

Have a great weekend!

I’m linking up with Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday today!

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Spicy Cucumber Salsa

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / 3 Comments
One of my favorite things about summer is the ability to enjoy fresh veggies all season long.  I haven’t purchased a single canned good from the grocery store in months now and how freeing it all is to me!
Cucumbers are rolling in and I was looking for something different and healthy to enjoy them with, so I  playing in the kitchen I came up with an absolutely delicious cucumber salsa.
Fresh, full of flavor, unique and healthy, the cucumber salsa makes a perfect snack for a summer afternoon.

INGREDIENTS:

Juice and zest of 2 limes 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 English cucumbers, diced (and peeled if you prefer)
1/2 Sweet onion, diced fine (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced

 

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk together the lime zest and juice, pepper, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. 



Add the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine. Serve chilled.

6 servings, 1 cup each

 

 
Serve with grilled chicken or just eat with salt-free tortilla chips.

 

Bon Appetite!
 

Cinco De Mayo Guacamole

/ Fiddle Dee Dee / 2 Comments
Sometimes I think my kids are Hispanic with the way they adore Mexican flavors!  MacKenzie Grace has been begging me all week to tell them what I was fixing for Cinco De Mayo.
Who would’ve ever thought this would be a holiday we would have a little fun with each year?
You know me, I’m always up for a celebration!
Our menu is fairly simple (it is a Sunday after all), fresh and full of flavor: Taco Soup and homemade guacamole with unsalted tortilla chips.
I told you it was simple.

{ I thrive on simple, especially on Sundays. }

Audley has never cared for guacamole at all, but he absolutely loves this…. it’s that good!

 

2 Jalapeño peppers
1 large tomato
2 large avocados
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
Juice of one large lime

Juice of 1/4 large orange

Use fresh ingredients … nothing canned even remotely works with the recipe!

 

First you want to roast your jalapeños and tomatoes.  To do this, slice your jalapeño peppers in half, removing the seed and membranes, and dice your tomato.

Spread the two items on a baking sheet sprayed with PAM and roast in the oven at 400 degrees, about 20 minutes or until the tomato is tender and the edges are brown and the jalapeños are lightly charred.

 

Remove from the oven and let cool.  Chop the jalapeños and mix with the tomato and set aside until you are ready to use them.

To make the guacamole, cut the avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop the pulp into a bowl.

Mash the avocados with the kosher salt using a potato masher or a pestle, leaving it a little chunky (you really don’t want to eat baby food, now do ya?).  Add 1/3 cup of the roasted pepper and tomato (saving the remainder for another project), the cilantro and onion, mixing lightly.  Stir in the lime and orange juices until you reach the desired consistency.

Serve up with tortilla chips, on a tacos, or just grab up a fork and eat it right from the bowl.

Yep, it’s that good!

 

The addition of the fresh fruit juices as well as the roasted tomatoes and jalapeños really make this dish!
Happy 5th of May to you!